When in Little Rock, Check Out the Maduro Cigar Bar & Lounge

Cigar lovers who are looking for a little Southern hospitality need look no further than the Maduro Cigar Bar & Lounge in Little Rock, Arkansas, a laid-back place to relax with a strong drink and a fine smoke. Maduro boasts one of the best cocktail menus in town, and the bar offers more than 30 choices of Scotch, whiskey, rum and dark tequila.

Of course, what really draws the lovers of fine cigars is the chance to smoke and socialize. Owner and general manager Michael Peace says the weekends draw a big crowd of cigar smokers. “If you come in on a time like a Monday night or Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, you’re not going to get so much of the smoke. If you come in on a Friday or Saturday night, you’re going to smell some cigars and you're probably going to leave smelling like cigars.”

Peace offers his expertise is pairing fine cigars with the proper libation. “Let’s say, for instance, you want something that's rich and smooth. You might want to go with a San Lotano Maduro cigar and pair it with a Zaya Rum that has some vanilla notes to it.”

Maduro’s owner is proud of his selection. “We have cigars that are mild to medium to full-bodied. Some cigars are going to have spicy notes to them — black or white pepper spice or other kinds of spices. Some are going to have coffee notes or cocoa notes. Some are very earthy, or hay-like. There are cigars all across the board.”

Cigar lockers are available inside Maduro’s walk-in humidor for $100 per month and rental includes five cigars, plus discounts on drinks and smoking accessories.

Maduro Cigar Bar & Lounge is located at 109 Main St., Little Rock, AR, 72201, 501-374-3710.


Lufthansa Offers Cigar Lounge in Frankfurt First Class Terminal

Frankfurt International Airport doesn’t sound like such a bad place to get stranded, at least if you’re flying First Class on Lufthansa.

The airline’s First Class Terminal has all the comforts of home, or at least a five-star hotel, like a bar stocked with more than 80 brands of whiskey.

If you’re feeling a bit grungy after a long flight, there are several shower rooms, including one with a full-size bathtub, complete with Etro bath salts.

Best of all, there’s a cigar lounge with its own bar and a humidor stocked with complimentary smokes.

Who says the days of luxurious travel are over?


Tobacco Retailers Protest Georgia Tax Change

The folks at the Georgia Department of Revenue claim they’re not getting their share of tobacco sales in the state because cigars are generally sold separately rather than in packages carrying a tax stamp. They say that some shady dealers are bringing in cigars from nearby Florida, which has no tax, and selling them in Georgia without paying the state the extra tax money.

Opinions are divided on what should be done about this scam. The lobbyists for tobacco retailers who sell their wares primarily in just Georgia want to put a digital stamp on individual cigars, but those representing wholesalers who sell to several states complain that this would unfairly increase their cost of doing business.

State senators have listened to both sides, and there’s a lot at stake—the state is looking to collect an additional $15 million in taxes on cigars.

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